The Slytherin Game
by mischiefmanaged0116
Summary: Slytherin House is a dangerous place for those of questionable blood, and Harrison Pierce and his brother in all but blood, Tom Riddle learn that near immediately after their sorting. They soon discover that to survive the snake pit, they will need Ravenclaw's wit, a Lion's strength, and a Hufflepuff's stubborn patience. Why? They must learn to play the Slytherin Game, and quickly.


**A/N: **Yay! New story time! So, I only have a tentative idea of where this story is going, and this is really just the prologue. So, read, review, and let me know what you think!

**Disclaimer: **I *obviously* own Harry Potter...really, I do. And 2+4=116.

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Prologue: Samhain

The night was frigid cold, and all of the inhabitants of London could tell that the bright warmth of the summer months was starting to give way to the harsh, unfeeling cold of winter. It was All Hallows Eve, Samhain as the Celtics had called it, when the barriers between worlds and domains were weakened, even breachable if the right rituals were enacted at the proper times. There was no time that was as magically strong as Samhain, and on that night, wandering souls found peace and Dark creatures roamed. Those whose souls were drawn to the Dark relished in the free, unadulterated, chaotic magic that was available on that night, and that night only.

On that bitter Samhain night in 1928, the cold, while not unheard of at that time of year, was unnatural. There were supernatural forces at work, and all of London's magic user's could feel the power, making the hair stand up on the back of their necks as a soft breeze blew through the city. Even the Lightest of magicians, who typically ignored Samhain's call, were convinced to answer as the fallen leaves rustled and the full moon shimmered with a purple haze, one associated with only the most powerful of the Olde Magicks.

In Wool's Orphanage, where the magic seemed to be focused, there was only one inhabitant who could feel the entrancing power that was floating through London. It was a child, an infant who would be two in just as many months, who suddenly awoke at 10:10 at night, dark eyes flecked with golden magic. The blackhaired boy was trembling as well, although it was impossible to discern whether that was because of the raw magic's strength, or the lack of heat in the orphanage.

When Tom Riddle awoke at 10:10 that night, when the smoky tendrils of magic wrapped around him, the magic of Samhain and Fate created a new timeline; a timeline where two young orphans would be saved by each other.

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Long, long ago, before Hogwarts was even a thought, Fate's magic was bound by her older brother, Death, and younger sister, Truth. While Death was tied to the Dark, and Truth to the Light, Fate was free, as Neutral, or Grey, Magic was no longer classified as such. As the most powerful, Fate was considered too dangerous to be left unchecked, so Death, with the approval of Truth, fashioned two serpent bracelets made of silver, one with emerald eyes, the other with onyx. The serpents' bodies were enchanted with unbreakable Dark suppression spells, while the eyes had Light spells cast on them, allowing two abilities to continue manifesting: the ability to determine dates of death and the ability to speak prophecies.

Death and Truth presented Fate with the bracelets on Beltane, and with a fond smile towards her siblings, Fate fastened a bracelet on each wrist. It was mere seconds later that she fell to the ground, shaking in pain, as her magic was chained by the bracelets. Before passing out, she managed to send her brother and sister a betrayed look, only to be met with no remorse.

For two centuries, Fate suffered as she saw what was to come, unable to do anything to affect the outcome unless Truth came to her for a prophecy. It was slowly driving her insane, seeing everything that was and would be, while only being able to give Death dates that he could finally collect souls. Fate watched as Hogwarts was built, knowing that Salazar would leave the school after betraying his best friend and their wives, yet feeling her heart break when it happened anyway.

It was at this time that Truth took pity on her older sister, and went to Death begging him to loosen Fate's bindings. as she was being tortured by futures she could not change. However, Death had created the chains so that they could only be broken by two mortals, found worthy by both Death and Truth. He too, had seen the suffering of his younger sister though, and while he couldn't release her, he could allow her the ability to interfere in one life every Samhain.

For the last thousand years, Fate had chosen a life to meddle in every year, sometimes changing it for better, sometimes for worse. Now it was Samhain of 1981, and Fate had a plan to enact. A plan that she had been creating for fifty five years would finally be put into action tonight.

Fate was cunning, and Fate was patient. For years, she had known that Tom Riddle would become a Dark Lord. It broke her heart to watch a boy with so much potential, so much spirit, to become a murderer when all he had needed was a little love. There hadn't been much for her to do; it seemed that Tom Riddle needed to become a Dark Lord. Truth had chosen her evil, and on the 31st of July, her champion was born, one Harry James Potter.

Harry Potter. Tom was planning on killing him that night, on Samhain. It was a powerful night of magic, Fate had to admit, and it also gave her the perfect opportunity to enact her plan. Death and Truth had been watching her all day; Fate could sense them outside, waiting to see what she would do. It was nearly the end of Samhain, almost ten o'clock in the evening, and she had never waited this long for her interference.

At exactly ten o'clock, Tom Riddle walked into the Potter's home in Godric's Hollow. Fate, with a slight grin, activated the wards on the room that she always used on Samhain. It would take her exactly one hour and one minute to do what she needed to do, and Fate only hoped that her wards would hold long enough for her to finish. Death and Truth would not be happy with her at all. Fate vaguely wondered if they would stop allowing her to interfere on Samhain.

That was a matter for another time though, as Tom was now walking up the stairs, towards the nursery where she knew Lily and Harry would be waiting. She grabbed the envelope of papers in her left hand, as she raised her right hand. Voldemort was talking to Lily, offering to spare her life, and she turned him down. So Tom killed her.

Fate saw the protection charm go into effect just as Tom shot off another killing curse, this one aimed towards Harry. When the green light hit Lily's protection shield, two things happened at once. The first was, the killing curse rebounded, hitting Voldemort and separated his soul from his body, which fell to the ground. The other was more complex. Since it was Samhain, the barriers of time, worlds, and domains were weakened. The collision of Lily's Light Magic and Tom's Dark Magic caused a tear in the barrier of time. Without interference, Tom's body would have been sucked through the tear, causing it to seal back up.

Instead, it was Harry Potter's body who went through the hole in time...a hole that led to a London orphanage in 1928.

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At 11:11 pm in London, England, everything suddenly become rather still. The wisps of magic, only minutes ago wrapping it's fingers around everything in sight, receded steadily, leaving only the barest hint of something powerful in the air. The only other remnant of the magic could be found on the doorstep of Wool's Orphanage.

It was nearing midnight by the time anyone found the young boy, covered in blood, sweat, and grime. Sarah Cole had been left in charge of the orphanage for the night. She was just planning on going to bed when, just as she was locking the door, she heard a noise outside. Tentatively, Mrs. Cole opened the door, to reveal the infant laying on the forest green welcome mat, swaddled in blankets.

Mrs. Cole picked up the young one, and there was a piece of paper folded up in the blanket.

It bore only three words: Harrison James Pierce


End file.
